Copying devices



W. LIMBERGER COPYING DEVICES Oct. 20, 1964 Original Filed Nov. 50, 1959 Q w l. 0m Q a n m H F 3 a n m United States Patent 3,153,480 CGPYHIG DEVHIES Waiter Limberger, Hamburg, Germany, assignor to Lumoprint Zindler KG, Hamburg, Germany Griginal application Nov. 30, W59, Ser. No. 856,139, now

PatentNo. 3,054,34t dated Sept. 13, 1%2. Divided and this application Dec. 1 1961, Ser. No. 161L575 (Claims. (Q1. 206-47) This invention relates to copying devices of the type in which the exposed layer carrier is passed through a bath of developing liquid. Such a copying device is shown in my patent application Ser. No. 856,139, filed November 30, 1959, now Patent No. 3,054,340, issued September 18, 1962, of which the present application is a division. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel and improved storage and supply container for the developing liquid, said container being adapted to be used as a storage receptacle for the solid ingredients in the developing liquid prior to its use as a liquid supply container.

Developing liquid baths customarily have a comparatively large surface area exposed to the ambient atmosphere which causes relatively rapid oxidation of the liquid and thereby decrease of its efficiency. This disadvantage is particularly annoying in cases where the copying device is used comparatively infrequently and then for short periods only. For example, in many ofiices the copying device must always be ready for use during office hours although the total time of actual use during a day may amount to less than an hour.

Another disadvantage is that the preparation of the developing liquid and the pouring of the same into the bath receptacle requires considerable skill and care in order to ensure correct composition and complete dissolution of ingredients and to avoid damage to clothing and other articles.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate these and other disadvantages and hazards by providing novel and improved means for procuring and storing the solid ingredients of a developing bath in accurately measured qantities and under such circumstances that the developing liquid can be swiftly andsafely prepared by un skilled personnel Without the hazards mentioned above *and then conveniently stored during periods of non-use without risk for deteriorating influence by the ambient atmosphere and yet so that it is always readily available for practically instant use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention'w-hen considered together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a copying device of a type particularly suitable for use with the novel storage and supply container according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a section along the line-IIII in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side view of the novel storage and supply 14, 15 (FIG. 2) which are continued above said bottom wall 10 by two plate members 17, 18 parallel with and spaced inwardly from the end walls 11, 12 of the housing 1. The portion of bottom wall 10 above the compartment 4 extends between said plate members 17, 18 only, and the rear edge of the bottom wall 1% is spaced from the rear wall of the housing 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The lower front compartment 3 contains an exposure device of any suitable kind which is indicated generally at 28 and need not be described in detail here since it forms no part of the present invention.

A shaft 19 is rotatably supported by the plate members 17, 18 in the rear portion of the housing 1, and said shaft 19 extends through the end Wall 11 of the housing and is provided with a handle 23 on the protruding end 22. Adjacent the end walls 11, 12 of the housing 1 are arranged two bellcrank levers 20 and 21, respectively, each have one arm secured to the shaft 19 while the other arm is secured to a box 16 which extends between said two levers 2t], 21 and in one rotary position of the shaft 19 is located withinthe compartment 40f the housing 1. Within the box 16 a collapsible plastic container 24 is disposed which in uncollapsed condition has substantially the same volume as said box 16.

The plastic container 24 is closed except for a nipple '29 which extends through an opening in the box 16 and in any suitable way may be connected with a flexible tube 25 communicating with the interior of the developing bath receptacle 5 at the bottom thereof. A clamp 26 may be used to close and open the tube 25 in a manner Well known in the art. The box 16 is preferably provided with perforations to permit air to pass freely into and out of the same. The container 24 may be made of a single sheet of a suitable plastic pliable material, such as polyethylene, and is tightly sealed along the edges 30, 31, 32. Prior to the use of the container 24 in the copying device a measured amount of caustic soda is introduced in the same and shaken down into the end portion marked B in FIG. 3. Said end portion B is then closed off from the main portion of the container as, for example, by making a series of closely spaced impressions along lines 33 by means of a suitable tool. Alternatively, a layer of adhesive material may have been applied along said lines 33 on the inside of the container prior to sealing the same along the edges 30, 31, 32, so that pressure applied along the lines 33 from the outside will close the end portion B. Other mechanical or chemical means may be used for said purpose, and even though it is prefercontainer according to the invention,

4. In the upper compartment 2 a substantially trough-.

shaped receptacle 5 for a developing liquid is disposed.

A plurality of curvedguide members for copying sheet material extend through the receptacle 5 from an inlet opening 8 in the front Wall of the housing 1 towards a pair 7 1 of transport and squeeze rollers mounted adjacent to an [outlet opening 9 in the top wall of the housing 1.

The bottom wall 10 of the compartment 2 is supported from the bottom 13 of the housing 1 by means of posts able that the closure along the lines 33 is watertight, this is not absolutely essential under all circumstances.

When the end portion B has been thus closed off, a measured quantity of hydroquinone and Phenidone which latter is a photographic developer comprising 1-phenyl-3- pyrazolidone is introduced into the container 24 and caused to accumulate in the end portion marked A in'FIG. 3. It is not necessary that said end portion A be closed since the material may be retained therein simply by folding the container on the line 46. Preferably, such folding is effected over the edge of a pieceof cardboard 34 or other suitable material of such dimension that after repeated folding of the container 24 therearound the portions A and Bare disposed on opposite sides of the cardboard piece 34, as indicated in FIG. 5. The folded container 24 is then preferably enclosed in a cardboard box 35 or the like. 'In this condition the containers. 24 may to swing the box 16 out from the compartment 4 approximately to the position shown in dotted lines at 36 in FIG. 1 where the collapsed container 24 is inserted in the box 16 with the nipple 29 protruding through the opening in said box. The tube 25 is connected with said nipple 29 and the box 16 is permitted to swing back into the compartment 4 of the housing 1. A quantity of water which may be the total amount required for a developing bath or less is poured into the receptacle 5 and the clamp 26 is removed from the tube 25 so that the water runs down into the container 24. By means of the handle 25 the box 16 is then swung into and out of the compartment 4 several times until the ingredients from the end portion A of the container24 have been thoroughly dissolved.

In the meantime, if the seal at lines 33 is soluble by water, said seal is opened by the water and the ingredients in end portion B are dissolved. If said seal'at 33 is not water soluble, it is opened manually by pulling on flaps 47 provided on the container 24 for such purpose. Additional water, if required, may be added through the .receptacle 5 and tube 25 at any time in the same manner as described above.

In order to transfer the solution from the container 24 to the receptacle 5 it is only necessary to turn the handle 23 to swing the box 16 to the position shown in dotted lines at 16 and open the tube 25. After each use of the bath, the solution is returned to the container 24 as described above, and by then closing the tube 25 access of atmospheric air to the solution is prevented. When it is desirable to replace the solution with a fresh solution, the container 24 is removed and a new container is inserted and connected as described above.

Numerous variations and modifications of the structural and functional details described as well as of materials and ingredients used as examples are intended to be covered by the appended claims which have been drawn to include all legitimate variations and modifications of the invention.

What I claim is: V

1. A collapsible container for chemicals to be used in the preparation of a photographic development liquid, comprising an elongated container of pliable material having an opening spaced from the end portions of said container, means at said opening for connecting a tube thereto, and adhesive means covering a peripheral area on the inside of said container between said opening and one of said end portions of the container, said adhesive means being of such a nature as to be made inefiective by water, whereby said one end portion may be sealed off from the remainder of the container by pressing opposite portions of the adhesive area together and the seal may be broken by contact with water introduced into said remainder of the container through said opening.

2. A package for use in preparing photographic development liquid, comprising an elongated container of pliable material having an opening spaced from an end portion of said container which is folded back on itself along at least one transverse line, a first measured quantity of chemicals in said one end portion of the container, water soluble means sealing said one end portion from the remainder of the container, and a second measured quantity of chemicals, in the portion of said container at the opposite side of said transverse fold from said one end portion, said first and. second measured quantities of chemicals constituting the correct dosages thereof for forming a developing liquid when dissolved in a measured quantity of water.

3. The package "as set forth in claim 2, in which said container is folded along aplurality of spaced transverse lines, and said second measuredquantity of. chemicals is L in the part ofthe container between the other end of the container and the fold closest thereto. 7

4 container is folded around a piece of stiff material having a width substantially equal to the distance between two of said transverse folds, said distance being such that said one end portion of the container is on the opposite side of said piece of stiff material from said other end portion of the container.

6. A collapsible container for chemicals to be used in the preparation of a photographic development liquid,

. comprising an elongated container of pliable material having an opening spaced fronr the end portions of said container, means at said opening for connecting a tube thereto, and adhesive means applied along a transverse line on the inside of said container between said opening and one of said end portions of the container, whereby upon outside pressure on opposite portions of said container along said transverse line a seal is formed inside said container, said seal separating said one end portion from the remaining portion of said container, and means for exerting a pulling force to the outer faces of said container for opening the adhesive seal formed inside said container along said transverse line.

7. A package for use in preparing photographic developing liguid, comprising an elongated container of pliable material having an opening spaced from the end portions of said container, means at said opening for connecting a tube thereto, and adhesive means applied along a transverse line on the inside of saidcontainer between said opening and one of said end portions of the container, whereby upon outside pressure on opposite portions of said container along said transverse line a seal is formed inside said containensaid seal separating said one end portion from the remainingportion of said container, means for exerting a pulling force to the outer faces of said container for opening the adhesive seal formed inside said container along said transverse line, a first measured mentioned quantity'of chemicals in said one end portion of said container, and a second measured quantity of chemicals in the portion of said container at .the opposite side of said transverse line from said one end portion, said first and second measured quantities of chemicals constituting the correct dosages thereof for forming a developing liquid when dissolved in a measured quantity of water.

8. The package as set forth in claim 7, in which said container is folded along a plurality of spaced transverse lines, and said second measured quantity of chemicals .is in the part of the container between the other end of the container and the fold closest thereto.

9. The package as set forth in claim 7, in which said folded container is enclosed in a box.

10. The package as set forth in claim 7, in which said container is folded around a piece of stiff material having a width substantially equal to the distance between two of said transverse folds, said distance being such that said one end portion of the container is on the opposite side of said piece of stiff material from said other end portion of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES, Photographic Theory and Practice, by Clerc, published by Pitrnan, 1 954. 

6. A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR CHEMICALS TO BE USED IN THE PREPARATION OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT LIQUID, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CONTAINER OF PLIABLE MATERIAL HAVING AN OPENING SPACED FROM THE END PORTIONS OF SAID CONTAINER, MEANS AT SAID OPENING FOR CONNECTING A TUBE THERETO, AND ADHESIVE MEANS APPLIED ALONG A TRANSVERSE LINE ON THE INSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER BETWEEN SAID OPENING AND ONE OF SAID END PORTIONS OF THE CONTAINER, WHEREBY UPON OUTSIDE PRESSURE ON OPPOSITE PORTIONS OF SAID CONTAINER ALONG SAID TRANSVERSE LINE A SEAL IS FORMED INSIDE 